Entries in Animal Behavior
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Photo Courtesy - Getty Images(OXFORD, England) – Scientists have discovered that parents react to unpredictable environmental changes by investing more time and care into the upbringing of their children, reports Science Daily.

Researchers at Oxford University found that changes in mortality rates and fertility cause an evolutional change in how a parent cares for their offspring.

"We already know that some animals, such as different populations of European kestrel, alter the levels of care they give their offspring in response to unpredictable environments," said author Dr. Mike Bonsall of Oxford University's Department of Zoology. "What this new research shows is that many more species are likely to 'hedge their bets', changing how much they care for their offspring depending on how challenging the environment is."

For example, in a challenging environment, parents might feed their offspring more often than when the environment is stable.